Display device



Feb. 20, 1934. E, L FUCHS 1,947,549

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed May l5, 1933 INVENTOR.

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, o ,v msnapav'rcz um L. Fuel, se. mais, M.,'nnnfr ne-muuwimamnrfnmsemm.Application 15, im. No. 1.015. saam. (cmi-135i e My invention relates toimprovements in display devices and methods of forming thesame,

' and more particularly to an improvedadvertising sign having charactersor legends adapted to reect lightwhen rays from an external source aredirected thereto.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method forforming a display on a base of flexible material, such as fabric, whichmethod is simple, economical, and results in a highly effective displayfor advertising or kindred purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved fabricmounted display device or sign of the type noted above, which isunusually durable and especially well adapted to withstand thedeleterious effects of vibration, dirt, and moisture.

These and other objects and advantages will more clearly appear from thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, illustrating severalpresently preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a fabric backing memberhaving a selected area thereof coated with a layer of thermoplasticcement; Fig. 2 illustrates the fabric backing or base member of Fig. 1,with the central portion of the cement-coated area covered with a layerof light-reflecting material, and such covered portion embossed to-provide an irregular lightreflecting surface; Fig. 3 is a plan view ofone embodiment of my invention in nished form; Fig. 4 is asectional'view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is asectional viewv taken through a display device of modied construction.

Referring, now, by characters of reference to the drawing, referencenumeral 10 indicates a sheet of fabric, fabrikoid, or other sheetmaterial which is to receive the display means constituting myinvention, and which forms a base or mounting back for such means. Incarrying out my invention a selected, predetermined area of the base 10is coated with a thermoplastic, waterproof stiffening cement or glue 1l,which serves. as will hereinafter appear, to render the coated area ofthe fabric sumciently stiff to retain and preserve certain impressionsformed thereon. The cement 1l also serves to secure a legend bearingdisplay panel 12, hereinafter described, to the fabric base.

A light reflecting surface is formed on the coated area, except themarginal portions thereof, by covering such area with a layer of metalfoil 13, or which Vmay be produced by painting or spraying the desiredareav with metallizedl lacquer, vin which instance-a suitable stencilmay be employed to protect the fabric and marginal 'portions of thecoated area not intended to be 00 covered. The coated portion of thefabric is lnext introduced between suitable die parts, not

shown, where heat and pressure are simultaneously applied, to formregularly distributed, nodular impressions 14 and at the same time tocause the thermoplastic cement to penetrate the fibres of the backingmaterial l0 land the light reflecting material to adhere more firmly tothe fabric.

Fig. 2 illustrates the backing member 10 as it appears subsequently tothe aforementioned die forming operation. Thenodular, light reflectingarea, is bordered by a strip 15 of the adhesive material above referredto, which serves marginally to secure the display panel l2 to thebacking l0, and to form a moistureand dust-proof junction therebetween.l y

The display panel 12 is produced by stamping or cutting a sheet offlexible, vtranslucent material, preferably of colored celluloid, to thedesired shape, and producing the desired legend or characters thereon bystenciling with opaque paint. The color of the opaque portions of thedisplay panel (indicated at 16, Figs. 3 and 4) is preferably such ascontrasts markedly with the color of the material constituting thepanel. For example, if the display panel is formed of ruby, or ambercelluloid, the legend, design or characters may be produced in blackpaint.

The panel 12 is positioned over the backing member 10 in registrationwith the cement coated area and the assemblage placed between suitabledie-blocks. Heat and pressure are applied to the margins of the displaypanel and backing member 10 causing such members to become bondedtogether through the agency of the thermoplastic cement bordering thelight reflecting area. In the aforementioned die-pressing operation themargins of the centralV display area of panel l2 are preferably struckinwardly as indicated at 17 to provide an oiset border or frame whichenhances the appearance of the display. If the display panel is formedby a stamping operation, offsetting of the marginal or framing portionsof the panel may be accomplished in such operation. y

If desired, the display panel may be attached to the mounting back, andnodular impressions formed in both members in a single operation,producing a display illustrated in the sectional view of Fig. 5. Incarrying out this method, a 110 layer of thermoplastic cement is appliedto the backing member as above described. 'I'he layer of lightreflecting material may be applied over the cement surface or to theinner surface of the display panel. With the display panel kpositionedin registering relation over the coated surface of the mounting back,the assemblage is introduced between embossing dies, which are operatedto form the nodules or protuberances 14 in the assembled structure andat the same time to fasten the display panel to the backing.

Obviously, numerous variations of the method described may be resortedto without departing from the invention, the essential characteristicsof which are set forth in the following claims.

' I claim:

l. The herein described method of manufacturing signs, comprisingcovering a definite, predetermined area of a piece of fabric,constituting a backing for the sign, with a thermoplastic adhesive andstiffening material, in coating all except the margins of saidimpregnated area with light reflecting material, in covering the entireimpregnated area with a masking plate having translucent characters, andin embossing the assembly and simultaneously causing the maskingl1,947,549 l L plate to adhere to the fabric backing bythe applicationof heat and pressure in suitable dies.

2. 'Ihe herein described method of forming a display ona fabric base,which consists in coating a selected area of the base with thermoplasticcement, spraying the coated area with metallized lacquer to produce alight reflecting surface thereon, embossing the coated area, positioninga legend bearing' display panel over the coated area, and applying heatand pressure to the marginal portions of the display panel to secure itto the fabric base through the agency of the thermoplastic cement.

3. The herein described method of manufacturing signs which consists inimpregnating a definite predetermined area` of a piece of fabric with athermoplastic stifening material, in coating all except the margins ofsaid impregnated area with light reflecting material, in embossing saidcoated area by means of pressure, in suitable embossing dies, incovering said embossed area with a masking plate, and causing saidmasking plate to adhere to the uncoated marginal portions of saidimpregnated area by application of heat and pressure.

EDWARD L. FUCHS.

